Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition Review

Nintendo has a lot to be proud of. Its heritage and stature in the video game industry is unrivalled, and the firm has presided over some truly significant moments in the relatively short lifespan of the medium. It goes without saying that the video gaming landscape would be near-unrecognisable were it not for the NES, SNES, Mario, Miyamoto and – more recently – the insanely-popular Wii.

However, as the saying goes, pride comes before a fall. Nintendo has every right to feel pleased about what it has achieved over the past few decades, but when that feeling of accomplishment is permitted to spill over into overconfidence, it's the goodwill of gamers that is inevitably going to suffer.

At first glance, one might assume this is a licence to print money; a lovingly compiled celebration of Mario’s most renowned exploits over the past quarter of a century, aided by exclusive pack-in items and a swanky commemorative box. Where do we sign, Nintendo?

Alas, the reality is rather less appealing. As Nintendo states so clearly on the back of the packaging, what is offered here is Super Mario All-Stars, which was released on the SNES back in 1992. What you’re essentially paying your hard-earned cash for is nothing more than a lazy ROM-dump of a cartridge you probably already own, and if you don’t then you can most likely obtain it for considerably less than of this compilation’s asking price.

Of course, this criticism hits stormy waters when you consider the high quality of the games included. The original Super Mario Bros. remains a solid-gold masterpiece in the pantheon of video gaming, and the third NES outing is rightly regarded as one of the finest pieces of interactive entertainment of all time. Granted, series imposter Super Mario Bros. 2 (released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. USA and based upon an unrelated Famicom title called Doki Doki Panic) and Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels aren’t quite as essential, but they’re still thoroughly playable games in their own right and certainly shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand.

Because this collection is a direct lift from the SNES All-Stars, the visuals are of a higher standard than the NES originals. Purists may decry the lack of authentic 8-bit graphics, but the touched-up aesthetics are colourful and vibrant, making excellent use of the increased 16-bit colour palette. These revised editions also offer the ability to save progress in-between play sessions – something that will come as a massive bonus to the busy grown-ups who matured alongside these classics but no longer have unbroken hours to devote to actually playing them.

Sadly, it’s at this point that the positives end. Four Mario classics on one disc might sound great, but Super Mario World’s omission is unfathomable, especially when you consider that Nintendo produced a Western-only pack-in edition of the SNES All-Stars collection that included the fourth Super Mario adventure. Why Nintendo didn't choose to use that updated instalment as the basis for this version is anyone's guess.

Come to mention it, the cavernous storage space afforded by the DVD format could easily have allowed for the inclusion of other instalments, too. Who wouldn’t have loved to have seen Yoshi’s Island make the cut, or Super Mario Land on the Game Boy? Why not offer fans the ability to play the enhanced GBA edition of Super Mario Bros. 2, or give them the opportunity to see how the 2D classics compare to the near-legendary Super Mario 64? When you consider that the latter is already available on the Virtual Console (along with Super Mario World), the omission is especially grating. It would have cost Nintendo nothing to include them, and this paltry compendium would have been improved immeasurably.

There’s a criminal amount of unused space on the DVD, and no convincing reason for it. Surely it wouldn’t have taken much effort for Nintendo to dig into its archives and include other items of interest, such as TV commercials, interviews and other behind-the-scenes content? Sega’s recent retro compilations for the 360 and PS3 did exactly that, and these bonus items enriched the experience considerably. Given Sega’s track-record for exploiting its past glories – some of which aren’t worth recalling at the best of times – the fact that it has managed to out-do its old rival in this regard goes to prove how shoddy Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition really is.

With the selection of games (or rather, the lack of) leaving a sour taste in the mouth, it falls to the physical bonus items to pick up the pieces. Lamentably, these also represent a missed opportunity. The cheap-looking, staple-bound 32-page booklet is interesting for a short while, but the asinine one-sentence developer comments offer up nothing that we didn’t already know about. You’ll glance at it perhaps once or twice before shelving it forever.

The soundtrack CD is equally disappointing. Only 10 actual music tracks are included, and hardcore fans will almost certainly question the uneven selection of songs. Many classic Mario tunes are missing, and the ones that have been picked don’t always leap out of your speakers in a flurry of nostalgic aural bliss. All the more puzzling is the superfluous inclusion of sound effects from the series; while these might be useful if you’re after a replacement message tone on your mobile phone, they hardly make for pleasurable listening. A CD can hold 74 minutes of audio, and the one bundled with this collection doesn’t even fill half of that potential running time. It’s almost as if Nintendo couldn’t be bothered to make the effort – something that perceptive readers will no doubt notice is becoming a common theme for this sorry package.

Speaking of laziness, we would never forgive ourselves if we didn’t mention the handicapped nature of the European version of Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition. As you may or may not know, the European television standard is known as PAL. Compared to the North American NTSC standard, it uses extra scan lines for a more detailed picture, but the ‘refresh rate’ consequently runs slower (50Hz as opposed to 60Hz, which is the refresh rate of NTSC).

Back when the SNES was doing the rounds, PAL gamers were usually saddled with big black borders at the top and bottom of the screen (a result of the additional scan lines not being used by the console) and a slower speed – usually about 17%, in fact. These days such issues are largely irrelevant as pretty much every TV sold in Europe over the past decade is capable of displaying a 60Hz signal. However, Nintendo has stuck with the original 50Hz speed for this release, which essentially means that Euro players are getting an inferior product to their American and Japanese counterparts.

Conclusion

Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition is a prime example of what happens when a highly-esteemed developer decides to push out a product with the minimal amount of effort. Aside from protecting its own profits, we can see little reason for Nintendo to leave Super Mario World and Super Mario 64 (both of which are available on the Virtual Console) off this disc, and if the firm were truly serious about creating the definitive history of its most famous mascot, why didn’t it go the additional mile and put on Super Mario Land 2, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario RPG and a whole host of other notable titles?

To cap it all off, the bonus items are entirely pointless. Even dedicated followers of the portly plumber will have difficulty getting excited over a flimsy art book and a CD that is good for one listen and no more. If you really feel the need to discover Mario’s origins then our advice is simple: download the first and third games from the Virtual Console and leave this sorry excuse for a ‘celebration’ on the shelf.

Damien has over a decade of professional writing experience under his belt, as well as a repulsively hairy belly. Rumours that he turned down a role in The Hobbit to work on Nintendo Life are, to the best of our knowledge, completely and utterly unfounded.

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User Comments (223)

I'm not surprised, this is a very lazy excuse for a 'celebration'. Also, there's a rumour that sega are doing modern remakes of sonic's classic games for his 20th anniversary which makes nintendo seem even lazier.

This is typical of a Nintendo product. They usually only ever do 'enough', rather than really pushing the boundaries. Took them forever to embrace online multiplayer in the majority of their games, they don't have any achievements system and extras, add-ons and tidbits are scarce. Of course I'm not saying Nintendo are lazy - their games look beautiful and are fun to play. Super Mario Galaxy is an amazing game and the new Donkey Kong is looking brilliant. I love Nintendo, but they tend to either surpass expectations or get away with not doing enough.

If you're going to release a Limited Edition of your original, iconic games, do it properly. Why hasn't the 50Hz issue been addressed? Why isn't Super Mario 64 on the disc as well? Why has only half of the music disc been used? Why are the tracks not the very best? (could it not have been influenced by a poll on the site?)

Saying that, as bad as the bundle is as a Limited Edition anniversary celebration, I'll still get it purely to enjoy the games. I've never played the spruced up versions of these games, and so £15 or less (which is what it will be soon, and what I'll be willing to pay) is an absolute bargain.

though it sucks for everyone in the EU dealing with the lame-duck 50hz version (i can't quite wrap my head around why they made that boneheaded decision ), I don't care if this version is a lazy port or not. this is exactly what I wanted, and Nintendo has provided it for me. my copy is arriving today, and i can't wait to just veg out after work tonight with it :3

If this game was released on a disc during the GameCube era, I would have given Nintendo some slack. But with the Wii having a digital download service, it still bothers me why the game wasn’t placed on Virtual Console.

And yet people are flocking to their nearest game retailers to grab this up.What gets me is how much space is wasted on the disc. They could have easily added several more Mario games but no. Nice job Nintendo. Mario deserves better than that for his 25th Birthday.

Damien, I think you're being too cruel with this review. I do agree that it needs more stuff (such as more games and the ability to play as Luigi without 2-player mode), but I'm quite satisfied with this game. My biggest complaint is playing on a standard screen playing on widescreen mode. Shouldn't Nintendo at least make some wallpaper on the borders or something?

@ James Newton - I was referring to things like lack of online in Punch-Out, lack of leaderboards in Brawl and Wii Sports Resort, lack of anything other than one-player in Wario Land: The Shake Dimension, lack of online leaderboards and multiplayer in Link's Crossbow training. Sure, these games were all good, if not brilliant, and what they did, but it's the inexplicable things they don't do that's the issue.

Xbox 360 and PS3 games will have almost everything you can imagine. Leaderboards, achievements, demos, multiplayer, several game modes, DLC, etc. These things are pretty much standard. Nintendo is still very old school in the idea that the core idea is enough to sell to the consumer. I've read interviews with Nintendo honchos whereby they've suggested we should be lucky to have extra things like online, whereas if there's any slight possibility of it making sense like in Wii Sports Resort or Punch-Out, it should be in there.

Of course, on the flip side to that console game comparison, Nintendo games are more fun and more original, and they can boast that they do a few things brilliantly (controls, graphics, characters) rather than a lot of things mediocre.

But really, half-filling a CD with tunes that aren't considered classics is such poor treatment of the Mario franchise and the loyal fans that have made him a success that I can't even express it in words. So unnecessarily lazy or ignorant to put together a bundle like this.

If I TRY to see point of this product, it's aimed for new gamers the Wii has engaged. Some people who have just heard of Mario and played perhaps galaxies or NSMBWii, may get to know a bit more about the history of the games. The so-so amount of information in the package is so that the new players won't get overwhelmed and can make their own history with Mario.

But ideals aside, for more established players this box is pretty much a 30$ All-Stars, which on the other hand is an awesome game. The package just doesn't do what the title let's us expect.

@Themanfromtallahassee The muti-player in punch-out wasn't that good anyway so I don't think online was needed because hardly anyone would play it online. Also, since when has the Wario land series ever had muti-player?

Oh, well, I only care for the soundtrack anyway. I agree that they should've added more games, but then it would've been even harder to find, more so then it is now. I'm suprised at how much this game is selling despite all the negativity. I guess the average consumer wouldn't care what the internet folk were saying.

Exactly what I've been saying all along. Thank you. Of course anyone born after 1995 would and should pick this up. But it's pretty inexcusable to not put more effort into this. Back then it made sense to release only those games because they were the only ones we had.

Another important reason SMAS+SMW should have been used instead is it's the only version of SMW that has the updated Luigi sprite that isn't in the VC release. Nintendo chose to release this rom on disc because they knew no one would download a $30 SNES game, because if they included it with the other SNES games for 800 pts they'd obviously lose money.

As @SuperPeach points out, NSMB graphics would have made all the difference in the world. That's what they did the first time around, 18 years ago, with updated graphics for that era. Why not do it again for this era, and include some of the Game Boy titles as well as Damien mentions?

@SuperPeach exactly what I was thinking. either that or at least include other Mario games like the original Donkey Kong, Mario 64, World, Mario Land, Yoshi's Island, Mario RPG, Super MArio Kart, or maybe even the WarioLand GB series. but as it is with three games that I already own on at least two different consoles (SNES and GBA), I won't be buying it.

seems like quite a tricky game to review because, as you say, there's no doubting the quality of the games themselves, it's just that there could have been so much more. So do you give it 10/10 for the great games included, or 5/10 for being lazy? In the end, I think the 5/10 is fair, although I'll still be picking this one up because I'm a sucker - even to a cheap cash-in like this!

My main gripe is the 50hz thing. I think the game should lose 5 points just for that.

Hopefully there'll be a big enough backlash on this for Nintendo to realise something, but unfortunately, there's still some of the greatest games ever made on that disc, and I have a feeling most fans will be happy enough with that.

One thing that shouldbe noted on this is the price, for a "limited edition" 25th anniversary special it only cost £20-£25 from some websites. Regular games are more expensive, i'm not saying this justifies such a lack luster effort but it's the "ryanair" of special editions.

Okay, maybe you all are right, but, come on, can't you just appreciate a nice little collector's item. I mean, THEIR JUST MARIO GAMES, simple ones too. All you have to do is just have fun with them, not stress out over every little detail. It's just for nostalgia, isn't that what you all like? Plus, with all that extra stuff you get, $30 is (not great, but) reasonable. Just keep in mind that it is a nice little piece of history, a collector's item.

P.S. Plus, all this bad-mouthing about Super Mario All-Stars will probably get you something, since Nintendo remakes everything with a better something for example: Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Advance SP, all of the DS remakes, and even Super Mario All-Stars was a remake, and the list goes on. So go be excited about the next remake of the remake of the remake, and stop driving this version of the game into the ground.

Mario 2 isn't exactly a "series imposter." We all know the story about Doki Doki, but in fact Miyamoto was heavily involved in that game yet barely at all involved in the "real" Mario 2. Also there's the fact that it was brought into the Japanese canon as Mario USA and introduced some ideas and enemies continued in the later games (Bob-ombs, for example).

In some ways, I find Mario 2 (USA) to be one of the most fascinating parts of the history of Mario. It's very much a part of Miyamoto's progressive development of the platformer, and offered an unusual way to bring some ideas into the Mario series that would've normally seemed foreign to it.

This is something they could've just put on the Virtual Console! ...where all of there game's NES versions are in the first place...

Hell, Sega put more effort in to their "Sega Arcade Classics Collection" on the Sega CD back in 1993!! They took the existing Genesis roms and revamped them with CD audio and sound effects. (which was mostly just the arcade music re-recorded)

@superlink64 The GBC, GBA, DS remakes and the original all-stars all added something new, even if it was just graphics for some of them. This is just a straight port of the original SMAS. If they had done NSMBW style remakes of them, like superpeach said, it would've made it worhty of being a celebration of 25 years of Mario.

SMB 1-3 Original 'Nes' Versions > SNES versions.Sorry but the SNES versions completely lack the charm of the originals, not only that but i find the music to be completely inferior. Mario's 8-bit tunes just sound better and they're much more memorable.

Anyways, I'm pretty sure somebody got this for me as a gift for christmas, and that's cool since i do wan't it in my collection, but I doubt I'd even play it for more than 15 minutes. I already have the Nes orgiinals in their Cart form AND on the Wii's VC....Ugh, why did I even ask for this?lol I should of mentioned Sin & Punishment 2 instead.

@mariofanatic128I would of loved to of seen Nintendo redo the graphics in the same style as Wario Land Shake it! how awesome would that be!?

@mariofanatic128 I see your point, and I was going to go into how the new extras could classify it as a new "remake", but again, I kind of see your point now. That would have been nice to have the NSMBW graphics, but with those graphics, would they have had enough space for all four games? And I also see that you don't want to play and pay for something that you played and payed for however many years ago it was when SMAS came out for the SNES. But, again I say, it's a lot of nostalgia (and a collector's item), and that is what I think Nintendo was going for here.

My copy was missing the Dissatisfaction...I agree that more effort could have gone into this, but at the same time I really can't fault the value. The four games on Virtual Console run $22 and I would say that the CD and book were worth at least $10. Personally I found some of the quotes from Miyamoto to be interesting (Especially his comment about Super Mario 64). While I would have liked to have seen more done to commemorate this milestone, I really can't complain thanks to the budget pricing. Overall this is exactly what I expected it to be, nothing more, nothing less.

This release was just a reason to give Super Mario All Stars to us on the Wii. No more. A VC game at retail. Its understandable that they did not want to give it to us at the usual cost of 800 points and that didn't want to triple the Wii Points to give it to us. This was never about any other game, just Super Mario All Stars. Every other game, that we all should have on the VC already or on Gamecube, can already be played on the Wii except for the GB games which will be coming to the 3DS. And anyway, it would be quite unfair to make gamers to have to go out to buy a Classic Controller on top of this disc just to play SNES, N64 and Gamecube games that you wanted to be added. Especially since if they don't already have one then they won't likely be using the WiiShop to download games from the VC and if they do already then they would have had the SNES and N64 games prior.

I don't mind the shortcuts made by Nintendo. I bought this for one prime reason and that is to play "Super Mario All Stars" that is what I got. The fact that I can play it on my HD TV in 480p is a great bonus seeing how I don't have my SNES and even if I did have it, the SNES does not have component outputs. Everything else I got with the game (the CD & Book) are another welcomed bonus.

Ever since I got my Wii 4 years ago, I never bought the 8 bit versions of the games. I have been waiting for the superior 16 bit re-makes as seen in SMBAS. I almost caved in a few times and I was one of those people who would always post "When will Nintendo bring Mario All Stars To VC???" I did get Mario 64 and Super Mario World so not including those is actually nice for me.

Again, the ability to play Super Mario All Stars in 480p is well worth it! These games SMBA never looked so good! I can finally enjoy these classics since I never had the original cartridge when I had my SNES and these are some great games. I having alot of fun! I love the simple gameplay mechanics of using the direction pad and 2 buttons. I never liked the complicated controls of Super Mario World.

I'm sorry to hear about the gimped European release. Will the US version work better? Is this game region locked?

I really would like reviews to be about what the game is and not about what it isn't. The content is printed on the box, you know what you are buying... Why would a review spend so much time/space (80% of it?) talking about games/content not featured in this package... I simply do not get it. Next time PLEASE label this as an editorial or something. THIS IS NOT A REVIEW.

Pretty lazy stuff by Nintendo here, and the games offer nothing new over the Super Mario Advance versions I already have. Plus the fact it reverts to 50Hz, 576i and 4:3 when I play means the £30 odd quid I spent on my component cable was a waste.

I enjoyed the set. While I admit it may have been a bit "lazy," I missed the original Super Mario All-Stars, so I'm glad to have it. I also appriciate that, while the selection of songs wasn't the best, it wasn't one minute snippits either. I say 7/10. After all, the games included are still some of the all-time best in all of gaming history.

As far as I'm concerned this review is spot-on. Why simply port a 25-year old cart? It would have been more worthwhile to produce a celebration of Mario covering everything from arcade to console releases as well as bonus interviews. Now that would be a compilation worth owning and I don't even like Mario!

As much as I love nintendo, this is their greed at its finest. Could have easily been offered at $8 via VC instead they slap it on a disc and jack up the price. Please don't bother mentioning the extras. They are a joke for the extra price.

50Hz issues aside (so stupid, there should be a 60Hz option - SEGA did the same with Sonic Gems on the GC, which is why I imported that game from Japan), its hard not to see this release as cynical. Mind you, on the GBA they evidently used SMAS as a basis to create two additional retail games.

Nintendo know people wanted these versions and rather than allowing it to compete with the NES on the VC they decided this box would make a bit more money. As Bass says, its a retail VC release, just at a higher price.

The absence of any video or art extras on the disc has even outdone the minimal effort SEGA put into Sonic Classic Collection on the DS. At least these games are emulated properly though, I suppose.

OH, WAAAA!!! I'm happy with this collection just the way it is. If you are willing to look at Super Mario All-Stars from the perspective of what it is instead of what you think it should be, then you will find a goldmine of great software. Now quit griping and be thankful for what you have: four of the greatest video games of all time, an interesting history book, and a cool CD for a reasonable price. Also, I think many of you actually wanted this game to be released outside of Japan. Now you're bashing it!? Such a hard fanbase to please...

(I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, I'm just defending Mario. Super Mario All-Stars was fantastic on the SNES, and it is still fantastic today. )

Reviewers across the board don't seem to see anything "definitive" in the SNES iterations of mario bros. This is a blinstep, a misstep, a blindspot, a whatever you wanna call it, but a mistake.Mario all stars IS NOWHERE available besides the SNES and now on this disc, so if you have any positive inclination about the specific presentation of THIS VERSION of Mario Bros., then BY ALL MEANS, help yourself and trust the AMAZINGNESS of this game for Wii

If I had grown up with an SNES, nostalgia would be enough. As it is, I'm satisfied with the VC versions. It's not a bad deal when you consider it costs $21 to get all the games on VC. It you don't open it, you'll also be able to make a profit selling it in the future.

That being said, it wouldn't have killed them to flesh out the disc. Old commercials or exclusive interviews would have been awesome. It wouldnt have taken too much effort to add them either. There's no way they'll include games that are or potentially will be on the VC or 3DS though, so no complaints about that. Given how limited this collection is, it really is only for those hard core collectors and those extremely nostalgic for the SNES. For the rest of us it doesn't matter, because supply shows ninty's not trying to take our $$$ anyway.

When you think about it, it's really not that bad of a deal. If you were to buy all four of these games on the Virtual Console, it'd cost 2100 points, about $21. For $9 more you get improved graphics, fully functional save systems for each game, a CD and a little booklet. It's not a fantastic buy, but it's not a bad investment by any means.

I'm not saying I support the lack of content here--it would have been a cinch to include World, 64 and Sunshine right there on the disc. It's lazy, for sure, but I'm a sucker for Mario

@ mariofanatic128 (Post #17) Your comment basically suggests that it's okay that Wario Land didn't have multiplayer because it never has before. Well, there was a time Mario had never been in 3D, so why created Super Mario 64? There was a time when a handheld console only had one screen, so why create the DS?

It's about moving on, making the most of technology. It wouldn't have hurt the game at all to include Waluigi as a sidekick or in a separate multiplayer mode. I dunno, a total destruction mode whereby one player is Wario, one is Waluigi, and you get a time limit to see how many things you can destroy. I'm just thinking off the top of my head, using the Wario world and adapting it.

But my point wasn't about any specific game, it was about Nintendo not going that one step further when you, I and they know they could. If you're gonna have a game like Wii Sports Resort, with lots of sports, tasks and scores, why not have an online leaderboard? There's no reason not to do it. Just as there is no good reason why the CD in this Mario bundle has been so poorly put together, or why Super Mario World is missing.

Hey, it says right on the box what it has. If thats not enough for you,then don't get it. It was for me, though. (Its $21 to download all this, so better graphics and junk and a real copy for 30 is fair.) As for comparing it to Sega's Collection, that may have had a lot of games and content but this one actually has GOOD games on it. Hey-ooooo~!

It's not about what it is, it's about what it should have been. This is 25 years of some of the greatest games on the planet and they couldn't take the time to update these games even further and add in some new stuff, or at the very least toss in a few more Mario titles. No excuse for this.

hey now, we got not only the original game in a playable format for the Wii (as we've been begging for for quite a while now), we also got a nice booklet and a soundtrack along with it. they release anniversary editions of music albums, books, and movies with less than that going for them.

I can't help but think that a lot of people would be even angrier if Nintendo had thrown in additional titles. Imagine if Mario 64 were included. How many complaints do you think we would be looking at from people who had already downloaded it from the VC? At least in its current form, Super Mario All-Stars offers Wii owners the chance to play these games in their 16 bit glory (an experience that people like me, who never had an SNES, never got to have). Would I have liked to have seen more? Yes, who wouldn't. I would have loved to have seen Nintendo remake these with the NSMB engine. But at the same time I agree with theblackdragon that most anniversary re-releases don't offer as much in extras as this package.

All this hate is seriously making me even more excited for christmas when I get to play this. I never owned the SNES version of All-Stars, and I played all these games about a hundred time, but I could play these games a thousand more times and I would be satisfied. Sure the presentation is lackluster, but you're still getting 4 of the greatest games ever created. And as a huge Mario fan, the extra goodies are a nice little treat.

Seriously, I get the anger at Nintendo for being lazy, but it's not like we aren't used to it. The Wii is as powerful as the Gamecube, for crying out loud.

But these are some of the greatest games of all time. Review the games on their own merits. Nintendo is lazy because they don't need to put in extra effort to make money. Fortunately, the money generated by the sales of this game will likely fund game development down the road.

Wow you people crack me up. For months I have been seeing when is Super Mario All Stars coming out for VC and why dont they bring out Super Mario All Stars on the VC.

Well now they brought out this disc version and all you people are complaining about it. As for the fact in not having the SMA/SMW version included is because Super Mario World didnt get any updated graphics or sounds its the same version you can get from the VC.

Its just like people complaining about the GoldenEye Wii and how its not as good as the original. Honestly these companies are giving you guys what you ask for and than you complain.

If you guys want the SNES version so bad than heres my suggestion.

1) Buy a SNES (If you dont have one already. If you do than pull it out of the closet and hook it up)

2) Buy the SNES version (Once again if you dont have it. If you do than play it)

This game is a LMITED EDITION collectors item for the fans. Why would Nintendo want to spend a lot of money on this when they are making such limited qantities? Could you imagine how upset people would be to not get a LIMITED EDITION remade/upgraded game?

The game isn't that bad. People have been wanting a copy of all stars since the wii came out and it wasn't suited to sell this for 800 points or on wiiware. Give them a break be happy with what you got.

Looking at it cynically (the only logical way to look at much of the world), it's simply about maximizing profit on Super Mario All-Stars and other traditional Mario games (Super Mario Land, Super Mario 64, etc.). Every additional game they would've put on the disc would've cut into their profit of that game on the VC. Everybody that bought an All-Stars version with Super Mario World would have no need to shell out $8 (800 points) for it on VC. $10 for Super Mario 64. And then you consider all the people who'll want to buy Super Mario Land games on the 3DS VC when it comes out. No way that's going to be on this disc.

Now you say, "but All-Stars cuts into the profit for SMB 1-3 & Japanese SMB 2". Not really. The graphics and sound are different enough on the All-Star games and their NES counterparts that it's very much like playing a different game with each of the 4. Furthermore, All-Stars will make people want to download the original NES versions to have them also! And this was a way for Nintendo to make more money off of All-Stars than they would've putting it on the VC for the traditional 800 points (or more, being 4 games... also takes away the headache for them of putting a points value on All-Stars... plus the PR nightmare of people complaining, "3000 POINTS FOR A SNES GAME?????").

Now, being Mario's 25th SMB anniversary, I'd like to have seen more bonus material, especially more music with the storage capacity of a CD. But what they presented made for some nice extras, and the box was well-made.

Game-wise, of course I'd love to see ALL the Mario games on one disc, or to have seen these with Wii-quality graphics. But, I realize that Nintendo is above all else a business, and it didn't make good business sense for them to include anything more. That is game-wise. Material wise, I think they were quite a bit on the lazy side. MUCH more could have been added without it cutting into their profits much.

Oh, I've noticed there's been LOTS of advertising for this collection at other sites. Just saw one at IMDb. So they're definitely trying to maximize profits on this for Christmas.

I guess if you don't already own SMAS, you can add a few points to this score. On its own, its a great collection, and it set the stage for game remakes to come.

But I don't see why they couldn't just name this Super Mario All-Stars... since that's all it essentially is. I'm sure they would've still sold well, since a lot of Nintendo's new audience certainly doesn't own this and would love this game. But rebranding it as something new in time for the big 25 is just going to let down a lot of people... including Mario.

but also, good review. i have to agree. add a couple more games and some documentary interviews, heck, they already made some interviews with miyamoto on the nintendo channel. put those on there. maybe even go all out and update the graphics again. i'm still stuck feeling happy about the box and the idea but a little less than satisfied with the result. and good mention of the lame 1 line developer comments in the history booklet. that was almost insulting that they considered that part of the package. "mario is a raccoon in this one!"

IMO, $29.99 is within a few dollars of being fair for the content that is included. I really can't quibble when you compare it to what the individual games cost on the VC. That said, I would have thought that Mario's 25th anniversary would have been worthy of something more commemorative -- even if it cost more. Package it with a special red Wiimote with Mario's face and charge another 20 bucks. Or maybe the Mario hat they gave away as a Club Nintendo reward.

Usually the review staff is great but all I read was negative stuff and how its a disappointment and such. I didnt here anything about the gameplay with the Wii remote and/or the CC. Honestly does this game deserve a 5 just because of whats included when you buy it,

I think this review is trash and another one should be submitted. No offense Damein but obviously you werent happy with the extras and stuff but thats no reason to give the actually game a low score.

Can someone else please re review this game and base it on gameplay and such rather than the extras?

This collection is obviously supposed to be a big deal, so I'm not surprised expectations were high. I don't think this game is worth it because all 4 Mario games are already available on virtual console AND GBC/GBA. Anyone who cares would already have the games and not need to fork over the $30. I also wouldn't buy this for the booklet or soundtrack; this is a game, so the gameplay is what I care about. The best thing about 25th anniversary edition (which has existed LONG before the 25th anniversary) is that anybody can easily buy it by just waltzing into a store. I wouldn't want Nintendo to deprive those who want this by making it a pack in title, pre order bonus, or club nintendo reward, as was done with Zelda's collector's disk.

Back in the day i only ever imported my SNES because of the slowdown and borders of the UK PAL 50hz machines, and your quite right it is disgusting with the amount of money Nintendo has made of recent years that they cant be bothered to include at the very least Super Mario World which was released on the same cart as Super Mario Allstars anyway. 50hz RUBBISH aswell pure RUBBISH, and this bit is for people who's comments ive read lately all over this site regarding 50hz games, get a gaming palette, open up your senses as the difference between 50-hz & 60hz is Night & Day.

Some of y'all are treading very closely to bashing the reviewer. Please keep your comments focused on the review itself (or the game in question, of course), not him personally. There's always the Contact Form if you'd like to say something directly to the reviewer (but be warned, your submissions may turn out to be fodder for the next e-mail-based feature ).

"I think this review is trash and another one should be submitted. No offense Damein but obviously you werent happy with the extras and stuff but thats no reason to give the actually game a low score."

I disagree. The reviewer is supposed to review the total package, including its value versus the price, though I agree that a commentary on the control options is vital.

@BurningSpear: he does kinda have a point, though -- there's no retro review on NL for All-Stars yet, so anyone looking for one is only going to find this. I do hope there's one in the works for people who don't care about the extras and just want to know what's up with the game itself. :3

@theblackdragon: I apologize if my opinions seemed like I was bashing the reviewer. @Damein: Sorry Damein I didnt mean to sound like I was bashing you.

My thing is I think anyone who comes to NL looking for a review for this game will see this and be turned away from the game just because the extra goodies werent all to snuff. I mean I agree the goodies are somewhat of a selling point but not the whole package. I see no point made to talk about the game itself just how disappointing the extras were and how they should have included this and that.

Truthfully do we buy a game for the game itself or the extras? Me honestly I bought the collection for the game not the goodies.

Oh well enough said I said my peace but if you arent going to rereview the game I personally think that you should at least remove this review. IMHO I think it makes NL look bad, and we all know that NL is a great site with great reviews I just dont want to see it ruined cause of one review.

The site will be just fine because no matter what, we call 'em like we see 'em. So the review stays and life goes on. As I said, I might review the original at some point, honestly, who doesn't know that the original Super Mario All-Stars game was a masterpiece collection of some of the best video games ever made. I don't think many people would dispute that.

Review is spot on what? An opinion? This wasn't even going to be about the 25 Anniversary, it was just an excuse to release All Stars to us without putting it on VC. Games cost cheap on the VC because we don't get all the fancy manuals and cartridges that drive up the cost. Before this some people said they should release All Stars on VC either at 21 or above. Some desperately wanted to see it, and now it is here. With a little bit of extra that didn't have to be included, in a cool little collector's box that didn't need to be made. Even with the case the game comes in we would have bought it (well the ones who wanted All Stars) but now it's suppose to the part of the anniversary and people expect more. Kids these days want more for a dollar. All I see in this review is why isn't this and this included. Might as well put in Pikmin 2 while we are add it cause it fits in the disk. This was just suppose to be a re-release of All Stars so those who didn't play it, or kids new to Mario could have a chance of 4 of the best games made. Considering a new copy of All Stars for the SNES costs more than this, I don't see how this is a bad deal at all. A lot of people say they already have a copy of the original and this is pointless. Or that you already played it or can get it off the VC. Not every person has a copy, has played it or even has a good internet connection. What if I want to take it over to a friend's house? Can't do that with VC, what if I get a new Wii? Can't transfer.

Super Mario World is missing because it didn't feature on the Japanese version in 1993 of SMAS, Maybe Nintendo should have put Super Mario All stars, Mario World, Yoshi's Island, Mario 64 and as an unlockable Mario Land 2 on the disc. I think it's been a bitter pill to swallow that European players (including me) are / is playing SMAS in 50hz, the game could have run in 60hz. I've even read on this very site, forum that Nintendo all most included Super Mario RPG on the disc, pure speculation again but that would have caused up roar for us European gamers as the game had never been released in the UK, (Europe) until it was released in 2008 on the VC and we had downloaded it for 900 points.

To be able to play Super Mario All Stars on the Wii is great, the CD soundtrack is worth a listen and the booklet is good but I got bored when I just kept reading the word 'fun'. I am pleased that SMAS plays exactly the same as it did back in the day, I don't like the NES versions much as I find the controls a little tricky and you can't save the game. Super Mario All Stars in this review deserves a 7 or 8 out of 10, the price also has upset people but then the retailers do still need to make a profit or two. For Mario's 30th Birthday I do expect some thing a bit better from Nintendo but overall I am pleased Nintendo released SMAS for Wii, Yes I expected it to come for the VC but I'm happy with the package....

@Themanfromtalahasee I can understand your point and co-op with another player playing as Waluigi would've been cool.

@bassX0 In addition to what I've already said, people talking about ideas they have for nintendo is a common thing on this site so if you really want to be like that, you may as well say that to every other member on the site who mentions an idea for a nintendo game.

Then again, I'm guessing maybe Super Mario Sunshine would take up alittle too much space.Anyways it's a total shame that Nintendo had zero passion, put zero effort and were completely pathetic and lazy with this. Like many have already said, this could of been so much more. But it was probably just an excuse to finally port over All-Stars.

The 50th? Good lord, I'll be 51 by then haha.Damn you Nintendo for completely throwing away such an awesome oppertunity Miyamoto you may be freaking amazing and a total genious, but this time you were alittle greedy grinch.lol But it's hard to get angry, since you just came out with one of the greatest games of all time Galaxy 2 hehe. but still!

When this was announced, what I saw was a Virtual Console title I so desperately desired released in disc format. I picked up a copy and that's exactly what I got. I'm happy that I have a copy of this collection as it's one of my favourites. I wanted Super Mario All-Stars, and now I have Super Mario All-Stars. I would have given it a score of at least 9, not for the presentation but for the gameplay itself, because to me, it's all about the gameplay. Everything else is just an added bonus.

Note: My views do not represent the views of Nintendo. They are entirely my own.

Me, personally, I'm furious that Namco didn't release the original Pac-Man on the Virtual Console Arcade. Meanwhile, I can play a crappy port of the Championship Edition on my Droid but I can't play a good version on my Wii. Oh, wait...what were we complaining about?

Ok, I know this may look like Nintendo just being flat-out greedy but I don't really see it that way. If they were just being greedy then they would absolutely stuff store shelves with this and try to squeeze out as much money as they could. Instead, as far as I know, the limited edition on the box is no joke, it really is very limited and already sold out at many locations never to be re-stocked. I see it as Nintendo just putting something out there that they know collectors will piss themselves over. That's really who this is for, collectors.

If you bought these games on VC they would be 21 dollars. So with the added packaging, CD, Booklet, and the fact that you actually get the games in physical form, I think this is a great little package.

And I just have to say, no one ever complained about the Super Mario DX on gameboy or the Super Mario advance games on GBA. Those were a single game from this compilation for the entire price of 30 bucks. Those games received HUGE praise.

I think everything that needs to be said about the game's value or perceived lack therof is over and done. I do wish the review or even if the reviewer commented here, talked about the one thign added: wiimote control support.

I for one am not completely satisifed with the controls there and am thinking of trying to get some classic controllers on the cheap. Anyone else who bought this, have an opinion? I'm curious to know everyone's thoughts.

Honestly I feel that this review is a little bit too low. While yes it is true that a Wii disc holds plenty more than the size of this game, yes the soundtrack was poor at best and the booklet isn't the best, the way they priced it was spot on in my opinion. These are still great games and it's nice of Nintendo to release this as a hard copy because then people who aren't able to connect their Wiis to the internet would be able to join in the fun on this classic. I never owned Super Mario All-Stars so for me this was well worth it. I've been playing hours and hours of these games and I'm finally able to actually beat some of them because of the save features. I thank Nintendo for not leaving us out on the fun like they seem to do with limited edition things.

I havn't played the game with a wii-mote or a C.C but I have played the game using what I call a SNES wii controller, they're not cheap espically on e-bay or play-asia but it's worth having. I will play SMAS using the C.C just to see what its like....

I would have only bought this for the soundtrack and book . . . but now it looks like I won't even do that. I am sure I can get all those sounds and songs from the net for free, and all the info in the book is now available online (through current interviews, not scans).

I do understand people's dissatisfaction with this release (i personally am happy with it), but in general i disapprove of any review that spends more time focusing on what's not included in a game then what actually is included.

Ironically, it's funny you rarely see anybody bashing so hard when movies get anniversary DVD re-releases with little extra content.

I had a feeling a score like this was coming. Anyone that owns All-Stars has no use for it and I can't imagine these games taking up hardly any disc space. It would have been nice to see SMW2 on there since it demands a fairly high price. Oh well.

@angrypeople if the four games were reviewed individually they would score well. the decision was made to review this package as a whole package and the effort put into it, not of a game released in 1985. if any of you are reading this review to find out if super mario bros is a good game then shame on you. I personally don't regret buying it, because it was priced very generously, and it is nice to have the games on a disc. But I won't make a fool of myself because someone calls it lazy.

@Squiggle55: Its not that I was looking for a review of Super Mario Bros but what I was looking for was how the game handled on the Wii. Like how does the CC or Wiimote controls feel and responded, do the Wii controls work as well as the SNES controls. Is it a good port of the SNES version of the game that I love so much or is it complete trash. I dont want to read what the game should have had and what it shouldnt have and how the extra CD and booklet are a joke.

Obviously super mario all stars is a great game and would have scored well as a virtual console release but as a retail disc its a rip off which is the reason for the lower score.

This disc is just a Super Cash Grab rather than a real anniversary collection. They could have easily filled the disc with more content but they don't care and know they can get away with it from people who are happy with anything they put out.

This is not a four game collection its just one snes game that happened to have versions of four games in it. If this were a VC release it would have been $8 but they were able to get more off a disc release. This literally is a VC release on disc as there is nothing extra over what an actual VC release would have.

If you want this as a collector's item or this is your only way of playing super mario all stars then thats fine but otherwise you can't argue that this is a lazy release and not a very good value.

@ Objection_Blaster: You know, this game has FINALLY compelled me to buy a classic controller as I absolutely hate using the Wii Remote for platformers as the design of the controllers simply aren't tailored for these sorts of games.

I've bought a couple of ridiculously priced C.C. Pros a couple of weeks ago, and yes, it has made a world of difference. Without it, I couldn't pass the first castle. =P

This works if your fanatic or you really want that booklet or CD but nothing new to look for concerning the games compared to the snes version... Yea when i first seen the wii shop i thought to myself why dont they have the snes all stars on here or better yet could they and are they willing to put it up..? Now i think if they could put the all the original mario titles on wii shop then why couldnt they add a feature where you could choose what version you wanted to play , i dont care if it costed a little more say 600 700 points. Instead of coming out with a new Disc for the "wii" basically saying sorry if you downloaded the other mario games (Sry but by now if that princess is in another castle she can just stay there) idk if i agree on the 5 out of 10 but something around there imo , but im not big on rating games on a number scale but i like to see and read reviews to get an prospective on a release. Theres nothing new this version but the games are still most rememorable but with a booklet and cd... It feels like they are just trying to reinterduce mario on a new system but more so to the younger generation. But like i stated before , how many times are we gonna buy the same games over with nothing really new to offer.? Get it as an collectable , i wouldnt open it if you have the old snes version or if you got money to blow then get two. Unless your new to the series and dont have the downloads and old console version this is great for you.

Nintendo can be so lazy sometimes... sighThey could have easily added Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, and even Super Mario Sunshine. Yes. There was more than enough room for all of them in the disc.Oh well.

While I agree that more could've been done with the package, we all knew what was included since before it was announced for the US, so none of us here that bought it should feel like they've been cheated or that Nintendo ripped them off.

Its worth whatever its worth to you. Considering buy-it-now prices on ebay for the original cart range from $15 for a bare cartridge to over $100 for a boxed copy, I'm happy with my purchase. Would I have preferred it if they included the Super Mario World version? Of course. But just because its not everything I wanted it to be or everything it could possibly have been doesn't make what I got any less worthy of the price.

And for the record, contrary to the review, the booklet is not staple-bound. Its perfect-bound and even has the title going down the spine.

This compilation is useless. 1 SNES game for £20... erm, no thanks. This package deserves the crappy score. It's just as bad as when they decided to re-release all those NES games on the GBA instead of just releasing them altogether on one cart. MONEY MONEY MONEY.

While my Wii hasn't been collecting dust, there are times such as these that I've been tempted to smash it or throw it out the window out of spite. I'd only be punishing myself, though, so it's remained mostly intact, the one exception being a broken hinge on the plate that covers the controller sockets, and that didn't even happen out of anger.

It wouldn't be logical for Nintendo to include later Mario games because they can not be easily played with the Wiimote/Nunchuck. I'm pretty sure that they have a policy against releasing classic/gamecube controller only games at retail. Even releasing the gameboy games would be a bad decision because it would downplay the 3DS's Virtual Console. Before you all jump at me with the question to why these versions weren't released on Virtual Console, I'll tell you. Nintendo could not sell Super Mario All-Stars for less than 2000 points because that is the price of buying all of the NES versions on the Virtual Console. They would probably end up charging 3000 points because the game has more content and technology in it than the NES version. To sell a downloadable game at that price would be crazy for a company with a limited online userbase. Splitting All-Stars up is also an option, but then each part would have to be awkwardly priced at either 600 or 700 points. Don't get me wrong. They could have updated the games with something as simple as an orchestrated background music option. Heck, they could have even included a more comprehensive soundtrack. However, they didn't have to. The masses won't care. They'll buy it anyway. Being a collector, I already have my copy so that I can proudly say that I own a legal version of Super Mario All-Stars again after selling my SNES.

Agree with MickeyMac on this one. I have always doubted this'd be decent...although I loved my SMAS cart, it was a "Best of" for the time with a "re-mixed" foreign game...but I expected this to be the same, only "without" SMW.

I'm sorry, but this isn't a review, it's a complaint. Reviewing a game based on what it isn't rather than what it is is one of the absolute worst mistakes you can make as a reviewer. Just tell everyone what IS included and they will be more than capable of understanding what ISN'T in the box, and then tell us about the quality of what IS there, please.

A review of a retro re-release is different from a new release. With a retro release on a modern console you have to review the package overall. This is like if atari released a compilation of only 4 atari 2600 games on a wii disc. The games might be good but its a waste of space and just not enough for modern times. If this was a VC release they could just review the game quality but as a full fledged disc release that is already starting to sell for higher online there should be more than a VC release on disc. The package makes it looks like a collection or special version but its just what was on the super nintendo. The way nintendo has been advertising this they make it sound like a new compilation though its not.

They could have included SOMETHING else on the disc or updated the game somehow to make it a treat for the fans instead of a cheap money grab. Other companies have done better with retro releases and even nintendo has done better like with metroid prime trilogy. If they were going to be this lazy with the release they should have just put it on the VC. It shouldn't have messed with sales of the nes versions as I'm sure there are those who would prefer the original nes versions over the snes remixed versions included here.

The funny part of this whole thing is that this was a cool retro compilation done right at its time of release on the snes and a nice tribute to the nes games. Instead of a lazy port it changed the graphics and menus to make it easier to play. So you would think a port of an old retro compilation would be updated so many years after its original release, but thats not the case.

If this was an 800 point VC release it would deserve a high score. But as a disc release its just a missed opportunity. They should have redone more old mario games with wii quality graphics or released this at an under $20 price.

@WaveBoyI remember there was a rumor a few months ago about a Castlevania compilation. Guess nothing more materialized about it. Wish they would, because I'm not a fan of Konami "rebooting" the series, and I want to return to the original storyline. More collection games like SMAS should be done. You think of all the great series that have never seen any kind of compilation like this. Looking at it that way, we are lucky as Mario fans, despite a distinct lack of effort with bonus materials for SMAS.

geez people. The score is spot on and probably generous. Any one coming here who hasn't played and enjoyed a classic mario game EVER is probably living without TV, and maybe just learning to start fires using sticks. The review is focused on a Tribute oriented collection, not the content of the games themselves. for that you could just do a search for "super mario"- anything. No special piece of history will be lost from giving an honest score to a poorly realized collection. If someone really wants to try the originals for their content alone, they'll just download them one at a time and get the real deal anyway. I don't understand why thats not clear. Leave our lovely NL reviewers alone, this is the best Nintendo fan site there is in my book; we all know what the mario games are all about, I doubt there are any 5 year olds coming here to decide if they should buy it to play for the first time.

Not to defend Nintendo and its all-too-obvious willingness to rip off retro-hungry fans, the reason SMW and the lot aren't included is probably the fact that they're virtually unplayable with the standard Wii Remote. Had they included those, they probably would've had to include a Classic controller also, which would've upped the price quite a bit. I guess they could have released two collections, one with only SMB 1-3 and another, more expensive one with SMW, YI, SM64 and so forth.

That being said, while I agree with you that it's mostly a lazy cash-in and that the European slowdown issues are inexcusable, with $30 you really do get your money's worth. The bonus stuff and nifty packaging are, at least to me, easily worth the extra money.

Saw a tagline for it that said "Rediscover a lifetime's worth of entertainment" which was a bit much for me. The games don't span Mario's lifetime and for most fortunate people a life is longer than 8 years (1985,SMB-1993,SMAS).

Upon reflection also, the argument that adding a game like SM64 on the disc would have cost Nintendo a huge amount of money is a little spurious as there are limited copies of the anniversary edition, and could have been as limited as Nintendo wanted it to be, if they were concerned about profits. Anyway, the kind of fans who would probably buy this package regardless of the price probably have at least 2 copies of SM64 already, I know I do!

If they put Yoshi's Island on the disc then nobody would download it when it eventually comes to the Virtual Console. And people would complain that they're being forced to pay $30 to get the $8 game they do want and that it should have been put on the Virtual Console instead.

I disagree with the review. For one, it only considers the standpoints of "old-school fans". For some reason the only perspective possible for this release is that of someone who has already played the game. Was the GameCube version of Ocarina of Time worth it if you own the one version on the N64. Not really. Was it worth it if you had never played the game before? Sure.

I have never played All-Stars before. I only played it at some places (a friends house, and once in a shopping mall I believe), and I would really like to own this package. Getting the original cartridge is certainly going to cost you more than 25$, especially if you don't own a SNES (which I don't). I'm going to buy the game this Christmas, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a superb time playing the game. Why is it so impossible to just write a review and say "Hey guys, it's a superb game, but you know what, if you already own it, don't buy it twice!". That would have made more sense, especially because everyone is just trying to act all shocked and all, but there really isn't anything surprising about all this.

First of all, this isn't Mario's 25th anniversary. I've been trying to tell this to everyone for so many times, but we're celebrating the 25th anniversary of SUPER MARIO BROTHERS, released alongside the NES in 1985. Mario is older than that. His first appearance is arguably in Donkey Kong, though he was only named Mario in Donkey Kong Jr. I believe, back in 1982. So we're only celebrating the "Bros" games.

Next fact: Super Mario World, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine and a whole bunch of spinoffs ware available/playable on the Wii. Did anyone really expect Nintendo to try and meddle with the sales of its own games on the VC? Did anyone think ANY company for that matter was going to do that?

Considering these two facts, I'm ALMOST inclined to say Nintendo has more than enough reason to release ONLY these four games on the collection. And that's just fine by me. And I'm guessing 95% of the unsatisfied people already own these games. I don't see how getting these games in their exact same form was going to alter the situation. Were you really going to get the game so you could have Super Mario 64 on both a N64 Cartridge, the Virtual Console AND a Wii Disc? Why would that be worth your money?

The last thing I was going to talk about is something I'm only vaguely knowledgeable about, so pardon me if I make some (or a lot) of mistakes here and there. Super Mario All-Stars is a SNES game. If I'm correct, SNES games are programmed in Assembly Language, right? I think most game developers would consider programming a video game in assembly language an absolute pain, especially now that we're 25 years into the future, and such a thing has become obsolete in the world of game development. Going back and "altering" a ROM from 1995 written in assembly language is not all that easy, and I'm pretty sure "making it widescreen" is actually a pretty daunting task. I'm sure there wouldn't be a whole lot of people working internally at Nintendo who would be even comfortable doing so. Now, someone might say, "What about those GBA remakes, they did it for those games, right?". I'm not sure. I think they were actually remade from the ground up for that system, using SMAS as the base. And those games retailed for 50$ EACH. Surely that would have supported the development costs. Surely, they could have done a "complete remake" of SMAS, That would have cost them a bunch of cash, and perhaps the remake wouldn't even have seen the light of day. And perhaps this would have resulted in an uproar of the fans who wanted them to stay true to the original games.

What I mean to say is that the situation isn't as simple as it looks, and we all knew this was just going to be a simple port when it was first announced, right? Who seriously expected something else, looking at the evidence on display?

So, I'll write my own little review of the game:

Super Mario All-Stars is a collection of three superb remakes of three already fantastic games, plus a nice remake of a somewhat mediocre game (The Lost Levels). Those who have never played it should consider it a must-buy, and those who already own it probably shouldn't consider buying it again. Unless of course they really, REALLY want two copies of the game.Sure, Nintendo could have included some nice extra stuff in here, but you can view as much old commercials, art-work, music or whatever for free on the internet. If we're going to judge the game merely on the cosmetic aspect, I think we're doing something wrong here.

There. That's it. That's pretty much wrapped up all there's to say about it I think. In conclusion, I think I should summarize by saying that I think people have judged this based purely on their dissatisfaction with the goodies, instead of just admitting that this is a superb game. I don't think this was made for the fans at all. I think Nintendo just wanted to re-introduce younger folks to great games of yore. If more companies decide to do this, fine by me. You can call it a cash-in, cheap, a sell-out, call it whatever you want. But I'm enjoying it immensely, just like many other people, and surely there can be nothing wrong with that?

I think its silly for people to argue about whether or not the collection is worth it. You can only decide that for yourself. Arguing because someone else found it worthwhile while you didn't is just foolish. There are very legitimate reasons both ways.I just wasn't happy with the review. I'm sure there are other similar reviews around the internet. It's like buying a Madden game and writing a review about how they should have included basketball. We all knew what was included in the package long before this came out.

I don't know if anyone's mentioned this yet, but Mario DID get Super Mario Galaxy 2; that kind of makes up for this.

And @TheGameSquid, I agree with you completely. I am not a "retro gamer" by any stretch of the term. I was born in the mid-nineties, so I never really played these games, so I would gladly pick this up.

Especially since I know it has SAVES! Yes! I cannot play anything from the NES era because I have to start all over if I lose.

And I also hate how the reviewer acts like everyone, everywhere will have a SNES lying around. I do not have a SNES lying around, and one isn't going to magically appear if I decide to get the original cartridge instead.

@TheGameSquidWell, the difference between this one and GC Zelda OoT is because Zelda have the Master Quest extra, and the Virtual Console version of Ocarina of Time is way, way cheaper than both N64 and GC versions.

Well my son and I opened it up this morning and yeah I have to say the so called soundtrack and the book did seem like an after thought. Personally I thought the book was more of a history of Mario book rather than an art book oh well.

As for the game itself its as good as it was on the SNES I am glad that I did buy this collection for the games alone I think its worth the 30 bucks especially if you have never played the All stars version or dont have the SNES cartridge anymore or an SNES.

Got it for xmas, and actually liked the booklet. Enjoyed playing the SNES versions of the games again, but there is something quite galling about starting up the game and seeing '1993' underneath the title screen.

As others have stated themselves, I'm not too fond of this review, as it focuses on too many "ifs". Rather than review it for what it is, it's being reviewed for what it should have/could have been. For gods sake, it says "Mario All Stars" on the frickin' box. We knew what we were getting from the start.

With that said, the soundtrack did suck.There's more than enough music in the series to go around, there's no excuse for using sound effects over more music.

I don't understand.SMB 1 9/10SMB 2 8/10SMB 3 10/10SMB Lost Levels 8/10 (All 500 wii points = $5All of which are now remastered. + I would pay $10 to know what some of the most greatest minds in video game history about their games.I understand it's just a copy but it's crazy giving this a 5. Of course this is only my opinion

Wow this review was terrible! 5/10, WTF!? This is Mario NOT Sonic! Sonic Mega Collection got a 7/10 but this gets a 5/10? Wow, that's weak! This game is supposed to be released due to nostalgia! I just got the game today after my mother ordered it though Amazon and the packaging is great but this review was just awful. Hell even IGN gave this a much higher score than you guys. I do understand however this should have been a Club Nintendo exclusive digital download for like 2000 points though.

Capt N, how exactly did Nintendo "tout this as something more than just All Stars"? Every website, article, etc. I read about the game pretty much made it clear that it was Mario All Stars with a music CD and a book. I've never seen it be advertised as anything more or anything less.

Oh come on, Nintendo Life, this game deserves more than just 5.0! Yes, I agree that it leaves quite a bit to be desired, and that they should've included more games and stuff in the game disc itself.

But the Allstars game itself is just as good now as it was for the SNES! And with the soundtrack cd and book, it is great value! It's more effort on NOA's part than anything they've done as far as extras in Mario games! Yeah, the $30 price is a bit much for what's merely a vc game on a disc, but it's not bad compared to the average $50 Wii game! Also, considering $20 gives you crap like M&M's Kart Racing, at least this means you're getting something decent!

Forgive me if some of this has already been said, I stopped reading the comments half way down (there were a lot )

Okay, this game was SMAS for Wii. Is that a bad thing? No.....so many people wanted it. Yeah, maybe the price could have been a little lower, and maybe it wasn't right (by itself) for the 25th celebration. But it's a great game for newcomers to the series, people who wanted but never had SMAS for the SNES, people who have the 4 originals for the VC but wanted updated graphics, and for people who had the original SMAS but lost it (or couldnt play it)

I only didn't get it because I have the original SMB for VC, and have the GBA remakes of SMB2/USA and SMB3 (which were basically Mario All-stars as seprate games and voices, with a few updates, and portable). Yeah the only one I'm missing is the "true" SMB2, but I've never been fond of what I've heard about how hard it was.

And like many have said, this is pretty much what Nintendo advertised: Super Mario All-Stars on a Wii disc with a soundtrack and a history booklet. Maybe a few fansites said (before the release) that "this is Mario's history with remade graphics" but those were probably fansites.

For people who complain about this game (not saying anyone on here, Im talkinbg about people on diffrent sites), it doesn't really matter how much you call it a "rip off". It's sold. People bought it. Done. At least that means that they wouldn't rerelease this for the 30th (if they celebrate it).

Have to agree with the review 100% even though I don't want to. I got this as a gift for Christmas and I am still disappointed over it, don't get me wrong all the games are great and will always love them as they brought me so much joy over the years but more should have been included and to leave out Super Mario World is unforgivable., and the 50hz thing just should not happen anymore it's just downright laziness

Yeah, but how could you play it with just a Wii remote and nunchuk? There would be complaints if Nintendo expected you to buy a Classic Controller to play Super Mario World. PLUS... it would take away sales from the VC version and those who already have the VC version would have no use for it.

Finally managed to track down a copy and it arrived today. I really wish I hadn't bothered. The thing that bothers me the most is the slooooow pal speeds. I have a couple of Wii's and one has homebrew on it, the rom I downloaded for free that I have running on that Wii is far superior. It runs at the speed it is supposed to run at.

Whoever gave this game the green light to run at pal speed made a big mistake. Disappointing.